MLB Best Home Run Bets For April 18, 2026—DeLauter And Del Castillo

The 24-year-old outfielder has above-average power. He ripped seven homers in 40 games and 176 plate appearances in Triple-A and five homers in 36 games and 156 plate appearances in Double-A in his professional career.

DeLauter’s power has instantly translated to the Majors, as evidenced by clubbing five home runs in 19 games and 76 plate appearances in his rookie season this year. His batted-ball data is also stellar.

Among 277 qualified hitters, DeLauter is 27th in barrels per plate appearance rate (10.5%), 40th in barrels per batted-ball event rate (14.5%), tied for 107th in fly-ball and line-drive exit velocity (94.2 mph), tied for 67th in maximum exit velocity (111.2 mph) and tied for 93rd in launch-angle sweet-spot rate (36.4%). Not all of those marks are jaw-dropping, but they’re all above average.

The rookie is also doing a great job of lifting the ball, with a 17.5-degree launch angle, 14.5% line-drive rate and 49.1% fly-ball rate. Moreover, DeLauter is pulling the ball at an impressive 49.1% clip, allowing him to maximize his power when he puts the ball in the air.

DeLauter has a tantalizing matchup to add to his home run column tonight. Dean Kremer allowed three home runs across five innings in his only start this season. Since last year, Kremer has yielded 16 home runs to 398 left-handed batters. Kremer is ill-equipped to quiet DeLauter’s thunderous bat, and the rookie outfielder’s +485 odds to hit a homer offered at DraftKings Sportsbook are too inviting to pass up.

Adrian Del Castillo has a mouthwatering matchup to hit a home run tonight.

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Adrian Del Castillo (Arizona Diamondbacks - C)

Over 0.5 Home Runs (+590) at FanDuel Sportsbook

Adrian Del Castillo can put a charge into the baseball. Among 429 players with at least one batted-ball event this year, Del Castillo is tied for 104th in fly-ball and line-drive exit velocity (95.3 mph) and tied for 66th in launch-angle sweet-spot rate (42.1%).

Before Del Castillo graduated from prospect status in 2025, FanGraphs graded his game power 45 and his future game power 55, and his raw power earned present and future grades of 55. So, it’s not a surprise his power has translated to his batted-ball data.

Del Castillo has played just 76 games and logged only 244 plate appearances in the Majors. He’s hit nine homers for the Diamondbacks.

While his home run rate is adequate, it looks better when parsed further. The left-handed-hitting catcher has hit all nine of his career homers in 215 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.

Del Castillo has a mouthwatering pitching matchup tonight. Max Scherzer has coughed up four homers in 10.1 innings this year, allowing two to the 30 left-handed batters he’s faced. In addition, Scherzer has allowed 15 homers to 230 left-handed batters faced since last year.

Del Castillo’s +590 odds to homer at FanDuel Sportsbook are outstanding and a bargain for a player with his power profile and matchup.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com